New Girl
by ReginaMills96
Summary: A new term at Waterloo Road starts and along with it a new pupil. 17 year old, Marley Smith. But, Marley harbors a secret. She's a lot closer to Mrs Fisher than she cares to let on but, will Marley tell the truth or will Karen figure out her secret before she gets the chance?
1. Chapter 1

(Karen's POV)

We were a month or two into a new school year and everything was starting to die down. I always enjoyed this time of year, everything was sorted and it gave me a chance to get to know the students better. I was wandering down the corridor as I often liked to do before morning classes started. Mingling with the crowds gave me a chance to get invloved with the pupils and treat them as equals.

There was one girl that caught my eye, I didn't recognise her which either meant she was new or well behaved. She was about my height maybe a bit smaller and slender, she had a natural beauty about her which was obvious as she wore no make-up unlike most of the girls in the school. She wore black skinny jeans, with her white shirt untucked and her tie hanging loosely around her neck and just under the edge of her sleeve I could see two black letters which seemed to be the start of a tattoo.

Her light brown hair was draped over her right shoulder in a ponytail and she had a look of confusion on her face as she tried to look for something through the crowd.

I approached her slowly, trying not to take her by surprise.

"Are you lost?" I asked

She looked up and her soft brown eyes met mine for a moment. She reminded me somewhat of my own daughter Jess, well if Jess was a shrinking violet anyway. My daughter, Jess was much more lively and less rule abiding.

"Yeah... I'm looking for..." She said, as she juggled the papers in her hand "Mrs Fisher's office?"

"I'm Mrs Fisher, is there something I can help with?" I asked giving her a smile

"I'm here to enrol"

"Oh right, well lets go to my office and we can get the paperwork sorted"

She smiled softly, the nerves clear in her smile.

"So umm..."

"Oh Marley" She replied

"Marley" I smiled "Your parents couldn't make it?" I asked, trying to find out more about the quiet girl as we climbed the stairs

"They're away on business at the moment" She told me, but I felt like she was hiding something

Once we reached my office, I grabbed the enrolment papers and we sat in the comfy chairs in the corner.

"Have you got any identification with you?"

"Uh no, I didn't think. Sorry"

"That's okay, can you fill this in the best you can?" I asked holding the form out to her with a pen

She nodded gently and took them starting to write. There was something about her, I just couldn't put my finger on it. I felt like I'd met her before, like I knew her.

(Marley's POV)

First impressions, she seemed okay. Maybe a little too inquisitive but that was just now. She wasn't how I imagined my mum to be but she wasn't a disappointment either. I completed the form and handed it back to her along with the pen. She raised her eyebrows at my details, it seemed like she didn't really believe what she was reading. Smith was a common enough name, it could well have been my name.

She finally stopped staring at the page and printed me off a timetable, you have science with Mr Mead first. I'll take you there and then if you have any problems finding your way around just ask someone.

"Mum!" A voice called and I girl came rushing down the corridor "I need to talk to you!"

"Jess I'm busy, I'll talk to you later"

The girl looked me up and down, giving me a dirty look before walking off.

"Sorry about that..."

"It's fine" I smiled "So that's your daughter?"

"Yes"s

"Do you have other kids?" I asked, I knew it sounded a bit strange but she answered

"I have a son Harry, he goes here and a daughter"

"Does she go here too?"

Mrs Fisher shook her head.

"No she died, a long time ago"

"I'm sorry..."

"It's okay, it was a long time ago"


	2. Chapter 2

(Marley's POV)

I managed to get through the day without any hiccups. In fact, no one really noticed me. I was in a few of Jess' classes who spent most of the day moaning about how annoying her mum was and how she was doing her head in. Honestly, she was coming off as a spoilt brat with mummy issues. If only she knew what she had? I couldn't believe we were even related, how could she be my sister? We were nothing alike. She didn't know what she had.

I wished I had her life, I wished I knew my mum but, I couldn't exactly just go and introduce myself. She thought I was dead. Harry was a lot nicer than Jess and after I rescued him from some bullies in my year, we spoke for a while. I envied them when they left as I watched them drive away in the dark blue car, a happy family while I left the school gates alone, on foot just as it started to rain.

(Karen's POV)

After tea I was sat on the sofa, with a glass of wine, blankly staring at the TV which had the news displayed. I wasn't really paying attention, Jess had gone out as she often did and Harry was on his computer playing whatever game he was into this week. My mind kept drifting to Marley and I didn't really understand why? She wasn't the first new student I'd had yet I found myself worrying about her. Something just wasn't right, I could feel it. She'd been so sketchy earlier and I don't know. I just had a feeling.

Marley was on my mind most of the night and after a while I decided I'd try and find her first thing tomorrow, see if I could learn more about her. Maybe it was because she was the first person I'd told about my daughter in a long time? There wasn't a day that I didn't think about her, I never even got chance to give her a name. Charlie and I were in a bad place and we decided to give her up for adoption, I tried to get her back but I was told she was dead. Not long after we had Jess.

I must have fallen asleep thinking about her because I woke up having dreamt about Marley being the daughter I'd lost all those years ago. It was impossible, I knew it was... Maybe she was just what I imagined my daughter would be like?

I decided to go in early, Jess had stayed out all night and Harry was meeting his friend. As I got out of my car and walked towards the main entrance, I was greeted by Marley who was sat on the stone steps. She looked tired and just generally done in.

"Marley" I said, stopping in front of her "You're here early, school doesn't start for another 2 hours"

"Yeah I know, I have to leave at lunch to go to a hospital appointment so, I thought I'd get some time in this morning"

"Well, a student that wants to do more work. That's different"

I walked up the steps and unlocked the door, going inside as she followed me. I went to my office and she split off in the other direction, I assumed to go to the library seeing as though none of the other teachers were in.

When I reached my office, I was surprised to see my paperwork level was unusually low. I remembered that look on Marley's face so after dumping my bag and coat instead of sitting at my desk and turning on the computer, I made a couple of coffees and went down to the library where I found Marley scribbling notes down and looking frustrated. She didn't even look up when I entered the room.

"You know that textbook isn't going to run away" I said, taking a seat opposite her and placing the coffees on the table

"Thanks" She said, putting the pen down

"Well you look like you need it"

She lifted the mug to her lips slowly before taking a sip and placing it back on the desk, with her hands wrapped around it.

I found myself wondering who was going with her to the hospital, with her parents away on business and I wondered why she was going in the first place? Surely if she was ill her parents would be here to help her through it? Having said that though she didn't look healthy.

"Is someone going to your appointment with you?" I asked

She shook her head gently. "Its fine, you kind of get used to it"

"How many times have you been?"

"8/9 times maybe, I have to go once a week. Dialysis"

"What about if I come with you?" I asked

"Are you sure? Don't you have a school to run?"

"That's one of the advantages of being the head teacher, what time's your appointment?"

"Two o'clock"

"I'll meet you by my car at 1:30"

"Are you sure? You don't have to" Marley said

"I want to"

She tried to hide it but I saw the small smile that appeared.


End file.
